Blood and Desire in Equal Measure
by BlackenedAsh24
Summary: Garrett Hawke, Merrill, Fenris, and Anders confront a temptress kidnapping templar recruits inside the Blooming Rose. How I thought it should have happened. (bloodmage Hawke)


A/N This part of Dragon Age 2 always pissed me off for some reason, so I re-wrote it to my liking. Please Read & Review.

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Garrett stepped into the back room of the Blooming Rose, his eye caught the luscious curves of the woman that held the secrets to his investigation. He shook his head, he didn't have time for that, yet. He walked forward, his fellow companions Merrill, Fenris, and Anders at his back, still bickering from something Fenris said about Justice and Merrill's addiction to bloodmagic no doubt. '*sigh* I don't get paid enough for this.'

Garrett scratched his beard and glared each of them into silence before turning back to the woman in front of him. "Your Idunna? The 'Exotic Wonder of the East' correct? Do you remember, 'entertaining' a templar recruit by the name of Wilmond, or Keran a few weeks ago?" Garrett felt uneasy, his senses could barely catch a hint of blood in the air, 'Great, a bloodmage, well let's see how powerful she really is.' Garrett's hand unconsciously twitched towards his staff as he noted how powerful the fellow bloodmage before him really was.

She tilted her head and adopted a look of innocence, "Wilmond... Wilmond, that doesn't sound familiar."

Garrett smirked, he knew a lie like the back of his hand. "Do your clients like this charade? It must get dreadfully tiresome."

Her eyebrows shot up and her voice wavered at being caught so easily, "Wha- Whatever do you mean?" She turned and sashayed over to the bed. Garrett felt a force touch the back of his mind, it was a demon's subtle influence, he knew the presence well. He felt his eyes roam down her form as she laid back onto the bed suggestively. "Questions are boring, why don't we have some real fun..." Her smile shifted to a smirk for a split second, a split second that allowed Garrett to regain hold of his mind, if only brief.

'This... bloodmage is extremely well trained, I must be alert.'He thought cautiously.

"She may not know anything..." Garrett snapped his head to the left to find Fenris leering over the woman.

He raised an eyebrow in slight shock that this broody ex-slave actually seemed to like her. "You should listen to your friend..." Idunna stated confidently, her smirk poisoning her naturally good looks once again.

"We have to ask her about Keran, what's your problem?" He already knew the problem, the woman was practically dripping with untapped bloodmagic.

Fenris blinked and looked at Garrett warily, "I-I don't know, be careful."

'No shit.' Garrett looked back to Idunna, quite tired of playing her little game. "As... 'charming' and relentless as you are, I'm here to investigate."

She sits up and looks him in the eyes, "Answer one of my questions first, who told you about little old me?"

'*sigh* well at least she's FINALLY getting to the point. Let's see how tricky she can be...'

Garrett let himself fall for the trap and opened his mouth to reply only to feel the sensation from before force him to stop and stare into her eyes. "It was... Viveka, she showed me, her books..." Garrett heard himself speak as he knew she would force him to do and waited for the right moment to strike.

"That wasn't so hard was it?" Idunna stated triumphantly. She stood, "So Viveka sold me out did she?" Her voice was practically dripping with venom as she continued, "That drab, pathetic little sewer rat. She will be dealt with..."

She was in Garrett's face now, 'The closer a target is to the host the more power and control they are able to inflict onto the victim.' His mind recited from his manuals on bloodmagic.

Idunna cocked her head to the side, "Just do one more thing for me, draw your blade, and bring it gently across your throat." Garrett felt his fingers touch the hilt of his back-up knife.

He chose that time to act. "No... you first." Idunna's eyes widened as Garrett reversed the connection and gained total control over her body and mind. He was the stronger one here.

"What- are- you- doing?!" She stuttered out as her hand gripped his knife and brought it gently across her own throat.

"You are going to tell me where your master's hideout is. No mere apprentice in the Forbidden arts could have orchestrated such a plot." Her teeth clenched as she tried to break through his tight control, she groaned with effort. "Now!" Her concentration broke at his outburst. Garrett felt the eyes of his followers upon him, he didn't care, he needed answers.

"They- are hiding- at three spear ally- in the undercity- Tarohne- needed more templar recruits!" She fell to her knees and dropped his knife as Garrett forced even more control over her mind and body.

"What is this Tarohne doing!" He demanded.

"P-please messere!" Idunna's lip quivered in her last effort to break control before her face steeled itself and she stated calmly, "I do not know of what Tarohne does with the recruits we capture. I am simply a student under her craft."

Garrett smirked at his victory before getting back to business. "Who is this Tarohne?"

He forced Idunna to stand, "She is our leader, she wishes for us to fight against the templars, so that all mages might be free and we might rule like the Magistrates of the Imperium once did."

Garrett smiled and Idunna bent down to pick up his knife before gripping it with both hands and placing the tip over her heart. "Your services are no-longer required, goodbye Idunna." Garrett stated smugly.

Idunna smiled like a dog that just impressed its master. "Goodbye..." She stated before plunging the knife into her heart and gasping at the control-breaking pain. Her face contorted in complete and utter sadness and regret before going cold as her body fell to its side, dead.

"Well, now that that's done." Garrett stated happily as he knelt down and collected his knife, wiping Idunna's blood off onto her skirt before sheathing it and turning to find his companions staring at him. Merrill's expression was of knowing shock at his power, Anders' was a mixed portion of rage and satisfaction, and Fenris was simply blank and broody and usual.

"What? Would you rather she cut my throat? Let's move, Keran doesn't have much time." He pushed past them and ran down the steps and out of the Blooming Rose, his three companions hot on his heels, now completely dedicated to stopping this cult from completing their corrupt plans to destroy the templars from the inside.


End file.
